


the prince

by Anonymous



Series: beauty and the wolf [1]
Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Gen, Mostly Gen, Prologue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 06:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10962036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Just a small prologue to a new AU of mine.





	the prince

Long ago, in a faraway land, a prince lived in a castle – which once belonged to his mother and father, but since they were no longer with him, he was now the head of the castle and ruled the land.

Despite having many riches, the prince valued companionship and the friends he made during his many journeys more than gold and silver. He was kind and generous, and did his best to help his subjects. He saw to it that everyone was living well, and that no one was left starving.

He had even hosted a celebration on a cold winter’s night. Everyone in the kingdom had been invited. Much joy was had that night, until…

Someone knocked at the door. When the prince answered it, he saw an old beggar, who offered him a bouquet of cherry blossoms for shelter in return from the bitter cold.

As the prince was about to let the man in, he stopped and realized that despite knowing most of his subjects, _he didn’t know this man at all_. He didn’t recognize him, like he did with the Astronomer or – well, anyone, really. He thought to himself, _Can I trust a stranger in my castle? Around all of my subjects – these innocent people – when I don’t even know his true intentions?_

So, the prince shook his head, refusing to let the man in. However, much to his surprise, the beggar began to laugh once he finished telling him his explanation.

“Ah, I see you’re not as foolish as I thought,” the beggar said, looking up at the prince. “It turns out that you can be smart… sometimes. _HOWEVER_ – you were still _not_ smart enough to guess why I’ve come here!”

The beggar then transformed into a demon, and explained to the prince that he’d once battled with his father many years ago – only to be sealed in the devastated wasteland (that was the remains of his father’s former home) in the form of a jagged black tree. He told the prince how the tree had eventually dissolved on the day of the solar eclipse, which had only taken place months ago.

“Now, your father and mother may be long gone,” the demon began, “but _you’re_ still around… which means that my vengeance is still justified, as you were consumed _during_ the war between your father and I.”

And so, the prince was transformed into a wolf – a _hideous beast_ – and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and the prince’s close companions. Then, the demon casted another spell – but this time, it was on the villagers, so that they would forget that the prince and his friends had even existed.

Ashamed of his appearance, and knowing that he’d been forgotten by the outside world, the prince concealed himself inside of his castle – his only window to the outside world being a magic mirror.

The cherry blossoms that the demon had offered turned out to be enchanted, and would bloom until his forty-first birthday—the tenth year of the curse.

If he could learn to love someone – in the same way his mother and father loved him – and earn their love in return by the time the last cherry blossom’s petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, then he’d be doomed to remain in his cursed form for all eternity.

As the years passed, he eventually began to lose hope. After all, who in the right mind would love a wolf like him in the way a child would love their parent?

 


End file.
